Hay-fork.



W. H. KAISER.

HAY PORK.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 22, 1910,

985,418. Patented Feb. 28, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

witnesses.-

Attorney.

W. H. KAISER.

HAY FORK.

AHLIOATIOR nun JULY 22, 1910.

Patented Feb. 28, 1911.

2 SHEET B-SHEET 2.

Ina entomw: m eases;

A [to rney.

WILLIAM H. KAISER, 0F LYONS, NEW YORK.

HAY-FORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 22, 1910.

Patented Feb. 28, 1911 Serial No. 573,233.

To all whom "it may concern:

lie it known that l. lVILLuM H. liaison, ol' Lyons. in the county of\Yayne, in the State of New York. have invented new and usefulimprovements in Hay-l orks, oi which the following, taken in connectionnth the accompanying drawings, is a full.

clear. and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in hay forks ot theharpoon type. in which the tines are equipped with suitable barbsadapted to he moved into and out of operative position by suitableoperating mechani m hereinatter described. These torks u ually consistof an inverted U- shaped bar or a pair of Ls.haped tines. sometimeshaving their lateral ottset portions hinged to each other [or relativevertical rocking movement so as to enable the points ot the tines to hespread apart when projected into the hay, and to be drawn togetherduring the lifting operation.

The object of my present invention to provide a plurality 0t pairs ofinverted L- shaped tines arranged about a common center and relativelyadjustable circumferentially or laterally, so as to g apple a greaterarea and therefore a greater quantity of the hay in a single operationthan would be possible with a two-tine t'ork.

Another object of the lateral adjustment is to permit the tines to befolded toward each other into compact space for storage ortransportation.

A further object is to provide means for clamping the tines in theiradjusted position for use.

Other objects and uses will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved hay fork.shown in its open position ready for use. Fig. 2 is an enlarged top planof the same fork except that the hoisting cable is omitted. Fig. 3 is atransverse vertical sectional VlCW through the upper portion ofdiametrically opposite tines. showing the supporting rin clampingdevices and lifting cable. and also the barb operating mechanism. Fig. lis an enlarged sectional view taken on line 44. Fig. 2 showingparticularly the means for clamping the tines to the supporting ring.Fig. 5 is an enlarged top plan of the center tine supporting head andshowing the adjacent ends of the tines hinged thereto.

This hay fork comprises a plurality of, in

this instance. tour inverted L-shape tines -larranged about a commoncenter with their upper oit'set portions projecting inwardly toward saidcenter and pivoted at to a central supporting head 3 so as to permit thetines to be adjusted laterally or horizontally to di'li'erent anglesrelatively to ttlt'li other. for the purpose of covering or grappling aconsiderably larger area or ipiantityoi' hay than would be possible witha two tine fork. and at the same time per init the tines to be foldedtiatwise, one against the tillt'l' at one side oi the head, or in pairsat opposite sides ot the head for compactness in storage ortransportation.

Each tine preferably consists ot a pair of parallel bars. spaced. apartthroughout the greater portion of their lengths, but merged. by weldingor otherwise. into a sharp point at their lower ends to facilitate theirentrance into hay under pressure.

Secured to and between the parallel. bars of the inner end of the upperottset portion of each line is a strap hinge section -l through whichthe eorresptaiding pivotal bolt is passed.

Pivoted between the bars of each tine, near its lower end, is a barb orpointed lever o having its pointed end movable into and out ofengagement with the hay, each barb being coimected by a link 6 to alever T-. which, in turn, is connected by a cable 8* to a fall block 01'sheave -J, the latter being connected to a suitable pull cord or cablei0- depending therefrom, whereby all of the barbs may be operatedsimultaneously to release the load. The levers -7 are pivoted betweenthe bars of their corresponding tines near the bends or junc tions ofthe upright with the horizontal portions thereof, the link *'t3 alsoplaying between the bars of the corresponding tines.

The head 3 preferably consists of a pair of fiat metal plates arrangedrespectively above and beneath the inner ends of the hinged sections lof the tines, and held in place by the pivotal bolts *2-.

A ring -11- of considerably greater diameter than that oil the head 3 isarranged coneentrically with the axis of said head against the undersides of the upper horizontal. portions of the tines 1 and is held inplace by I-bolts *1? and clips The I-bolts 12 are passed centrallythrough the clip plates 13 between the bars of the tines -1 and throughelongated slots --l-'L- in the underlying ring ll thus permiting alimited lateral or horizontal adjustment of the tines relatively to eaehothe' and to the ring 11 eaeh clamping bolt being provided with a nutlfrengaging the lower faee of the ring to hold the tine in its adjustedposition. It is now elear that by loosening the (damping bolts 12- thetines may be adjusted at right angles to eaeh other for grappling amaximum area of ha at four points, or they may be adjusted toditterel'lt angles for varying the quantity of bay to be lifted ortransferred the load depending upon the amount of horsepower availablefor the work.

The levers i are connected in 'iairs to the tall btoek 9 by continuouscables or ropes which, during the operation of the levers, ride oversuitable rollers or bearings --lt3- between and separated by the bars ofthe tines, said rollers being located just beyond or outside of theperiphery of the rings ll.*.

The elip plates 13 rest upon and against the upper edges and sides ofthe bars of the tines -lto prevent lateral displacement of the tines.

A lifting head -17-- having an eye 18 is tiexibly connected by links "19to the eyes as -2U- ot' the bolts 12-*, said litting head 17* beinglocated eentrally direetly over the head and its eye -lt is connected toa suitable hoist ing cable -21.*- arranged in the usual manner forhoisting and conveying the load or fork from one loeality to another.

In operation, when it is desired to force the fork into the hay thelevers T are roeked downwardly thereby forcing the points of the bars fiwithin the plane oi" the tines and after the tines have been forced intothe hay the levers are raised by hand to sultietently force the barbsinto the hay and to lock them in said position by throwing the pivotalconnections between the levers and their res 'ieetive links into asubstantially straight line between the pivots of the levers and pivotalconnections be tween the links and barbs. The t'ork with the loadtherein is now ready to be lifted and. conveyed to the desired localityby means of the eable eyelids whereu 'iou the levers T* may be operatedby means of the pull eord ltl tall bloek and ropes S- to withdraw thebarbs --:i from the hay. thereby releasing the load and positioning thebarbs ready for a repetition of the operation just desrribed.

hat l elaim is:

1. A hay tork eoinprising a head, tines pivoted to the head to swinghorimntally toward and from each other, movable barbs on the tines andmeans for operating the barbs.

2. A hay fork eomprisinp a plurality of tines relatively adjustablehorizontally about diflerent axes. and means for holding the tines intheir adjusted position.

3. A hay fork eomprising a pair of tines, one at least of whieh isadjustable horizontally relatively to the other, barbs pivoted to thetines, and operating means for the barbs.

t. A hay lork eomprising a plurality of tines, eonueetions between theupper ends of the tines to permit said tines to swing laterallyrelatively to aeh other. barbs on the lower end of the tines liftingmeans attaehed to the tines between said eomu-etions and barbs andoperating means for the barbs.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 13 day of July 19h).

\V I LL] AM ll. KAI

\Vit nestses (too. It. Miami, llENliY ll. .innninos,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents Washington. D. G.

